Cloth laying machine



Jan. 19,1932

.8. M. BL cH QLOTH LAYING- MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 6, 1930 INVENTOR SAMUEL M- BLocH BYSagO-QAL 5 g ATTORNEY-5 Jan. 19, 1932. s. M. BLOCH 1,841,703

CLOTH LAYING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 i I L2 F I "a: (.9 l i I I l i l I I I I I v I l I I i I I I I i I I I I I I l I i I I N I l d I I L: I

I I I I I I 3.4 I 1 I I I l I I I I I I 4 I a I I l I I l I I I I I I I I i I l i I I I I I I I I I I I INVENTOR. N

SAMUEL M. BLocII ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1932. s. M. BLOCH 1,841,703

CLOTH LAYING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

IN VEN TOR.

ATT RNEY6.

Smut-.1. M. 'BLocH Patented Jan. 19, 1932 ENT rie SAMUEL M. BLocrr, on CLEVELAND; OHIO, assronon' TOVTHE FINTEX oonrona'rron, or'nETB-orr, MICHIGAN, A' CORPORATION on MICHIGAN CLOTH LAYING MACHINE 'Applic'ation filed May 6; 1930 Serial No. 450,228.

.My invention, relating as indicated to cloth laying machines, hassp'ecific reference to a machine orapparatus adapted to lay cloth in a pluralityof superimposed layers on the cutting table prio'r to the cutting of the cloth according to definite patterns for the manufacture ofgarments and the like. 1

In order that the "cloth as cut, corresponds accurately'to the defines of the pattern from which it is cut so that a perfect fitting garment results when the several pieces are united, it is necessary that the cloth be laid on 'thecutting table evenly and without any wrinkles, and also that during thelaying'op- 'eration the cloth is not subjected to any tension which would cause a variation in the size ofthe section as out according to pattern. Heretofore considerable difticulty has been encountered in laying the cloth by hand due to the fact that the'formation of wrinkles and the placing in the cloth of a certain amount of initial tension was well nigh impossible during the handlaying operationl' With the apparatus comprising my invention the cloth can be laid evenly onto the cutting table without wrinkles or anytension in the cloth and much more readily and otherwise more ac: curately than has been possible with the common hand laying operation.

A further requirement for a cloth laying machine is thatzfor successive layers on the cutting table the cloth shall occupy so'called back to back relationship for each pair of layers, this relationship being necessary for the formationbf right and left parts neces sary in the construction of garments. The apparatuscomprising my invention enables the cloth to be laidin this back to back fashion'without any appreciable delay in adjust.

the above named desirable characteristics.

Other obi ects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds,

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described 9 and particularly pointed out in the claims,

frames 1 and 2.,

the annexed drawings and the following description settingv forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention maybe used.

In saidannexed drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus comprisingmy invention; Fig.2 is an end elevational View of theapparatus shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a broken side elevational view of the apparatus comprising my invention, shown-mounted on the common formof cut ting table; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, part sectional, part elevationa-l, viewof a portion of the mechanism as illustrated in the previous figures, showing in enlarged scale the driving mechanism for the cloth feeding rollers;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, part sectional, part diagrammatic, view showing in enlarged scale the means for vertically adjusting the spreader bar; and Fig. 6. is atransverse sec tional view through the turntable for the cloth roll supporting means. 1

Referring more specifically to the drawings and more especiallyto Figs. 1 to 3 and other figures in which like ordinals are employed to designate like parts, the apparatus comprising my invention consists of side frames 1 and 2which are suitably cross braced by members 3 and 4. Wheels, 5, 6, 8 and 9 are revolubly mounted on stub shafts su ported in the usual manner from -the site The wheels 5, 6, 8 and 9 serve as supporting means for the carriage as it passes over the table, the wheels 5 and 8 being formed with peripheral grooves adapted to engage a track 10 which is secured to one side of the cutting table 11. 5

lntermediately of the side frame members 1 and 2, the cross members 3 and 4: have mounted thereon turntable -12on which a frame structure, generally indicated by the ordinal 13, is supported,'which frame structure hasonopposite ends thereof forked seats 14 adaptedto revolubly support the shaft 15 of a roll of cloth 1S.

The side frame members 1 and 2 have mounted thereon brackets 17 in which are journaled transversely extending shafts 18 w and 19. The shaft 18 is in the form of a knurled roll, as most clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and has secured thereto a sprocket 20 by means of which the knurled roll is driven through a chain 21 which passes over a sprocket 22 secured to the wheel 5, the chain passing over an idler 23 for the purpose of maintaining proper operable relation of the chain with respect to the drive and driven sprockets. The shaft 19 has arms 2st rigidly secured thereto, in which arms is ournaled a pressure roller 25 which may be brought into contact with the knurled roller 18 upon. rotation of the shaft 19 by a lever 26 rigidly secured to the terminal thereof.

The side frame members 1 and 2, as most clearly shown in Fi s. 1 and 5, have secured thereto bearing bloc s 27 in which a shaft 28 is journaled. The shaft 28 has terminally mounted thereon a hand wheel 29 by means of which such shaft may be rotated to effect adjustments hereinafter more fully described. The side frame members 1 and 2 have vertically disposed guide members 30 which serve as a means of support for vertically disposed racks 31 which are at their lower ends secured to arms 32, which extend longitudinally of the carriage. The racks 31 have in mesh therewith pinions which are loosely mounted on stub shafts 34 and which mesh with pinions 35 rigidly secured to the shaft 28. To the terminal portions 'of the arms 32 there is secured a transversely eX- tending spreader bar 36 which is bent intermediately of its ends, as at 37, toward the direction of travel of the carriage during the cloth laying operation.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 6, the turntable 12 may have a base plate 38 mounted on the cross members 3 and a, which base plate supports the top plate 39 through balls 40 which are located in complementary grooves form ed on the contiguous faces of the members 38 and 39. The top member 39 is positioned with respect to the base plate 38 by means of a king pin ll and has secured there" to transversely extending members 12 and 43, which serve as a means of support for the structure carrying the roll of cloth as hereinbefore described.

I11 the operation of this apparatus the roll of cloth is positioned on its supports 13 and the cloth fed through the knurled and pressure rollers 18 and 25, respectively. As the carriage is moved along over the table and the pressure roller 25 maintained in contact with the knurled roller 18, the rotation of the knurled roller 18 being derived from one of the wheels supporting the carriage, the cloth will be fed to the table at a rate directly proportional to the rate of travel of the carria e. In the layin of cloth from which garments are commonly made the rotation of the roll 18 will be such that the cloth is fed to the table at a rate equal exactly to the rate of travel of the carriage, so that no tension will be placed in the cloth during the laying operation. As the cloth passes through the feed rollers, as hereinbefore described, it passes to the table over the spreader bar 37, which, being bent as indicated in the direction of travel of the carriage during the cloth laying operation, will so spread the cloth on the table so that all wrinkles are automatically removed from the cloth during the laying operation. The provision for vertical adjustment of the means supporting the spreader bar enables the spreader bar to be at all times positioned in proper relation to the top of the pile of cloth on the table so as to insure maximum efiiciency of the spreader bar 37 in ironing out any wrinkles which may possibly occur during the laying operation.

It will be seen from the above description of the apparatus comprising my invention that cloth from the roll 16 may be laid evenly and uniformly on the cutting table with greater accuracy and speed than has been possible with any manual laying operation heretofore employed. By reversing the roll 16 upon rotation of the supporting frame 13 on the turntable 12- the cloth for alternate layers may be placed on the table back to back, so that when the cloth is cut according to a pattern, suitable right and left 2 shapes will be formed, which right and left shapes are necessary in the construction of most garments.

A further description of the apparatus comprising my invention is deemed unnecessary for those familiar with the art, sufiice it to say that only so much of the mechanism'has been described as is believed essential to a thorough knowledge of its construction and operation.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctlv claim as my invention 1. In apparatus of theclass described, the I combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table. means associated with said carriage adapted to revolubly support aroll of cloth. and means for feeding such cloth to the table over which said carriage travels.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, of means for revolubly and rotatably supporting a roll of cloth on said carriage. and means for feeding such cloth to I the table as the carriage travels thereover.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, means for revolubly supporting a roll of cloth on said carriage, and means for positively feeding such cloth to the table as the carriage travels thereover.

In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of a carriage'adapted to travel on a table, means for revolubly and rotatably simporting a roll of cloth on said carriage, and means for positively feeding such'cloth to the table as thecarriage travels thereover.

5. In apparatusof the class described, the

combination. of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, means for revolubly supporting a I roll of cloth on saidcarriage, and means for feeding such cloth to thetable at a rate directly proportional tothe travel of said carriage. I

6. In apparatus of the classdesc-ribed, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, rotatable means for revolubly sup porting a roll of cloth on said carriage, and

rolls for positively feeding such cloth to the table at, a rate directly proportional to the rate of travel of said carriage.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination ofa carriage adapted to travel on a table, rotatable means associated with said carriage for revolubly supporting a roll of cloth, rolls driven by the supporting Wheels of said carriage for positively feeding such cloth to the table at a rate directly proportional to the rate of travel'of said carriage.

8. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a carriage adapted-to travel on a table. means for supporting a roll of cloth on said carriage, means for feedlng such :7 cloth at a definite rate to suchtable as the carriage passes thereover, and means associated with said carriage for evenly spreading such cloth, said last named meanscomprising a" bar bentat substantiallv its mid-point.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table. means for supporting a, roll of combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, means for supporting a roll of cloth on said carriage, rolls driven by the supporting Wheels ofsaid carriage for positively feeding such cloth onto said table, and a spreader bar bent intermediately of its ends toward the direction of travel of said carriage extending transversely underneath said cloth for removing any Wrinkles therefrom during the course of its being deposited on said table.

Signed by me this 25th day of April, 1930.

SAMUEL M. BLOCH.

cloth on said carriage, means for positively posited on the table for smoothly depositingsuch cloth. 7 I

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel on a table, means for supporting a roll of, cloth on'said carriage,novver drivenrolls for positively feeding such cloth to the table, I

and a vertically adjustable bar associated with said carriage extending transversely under such cloth for evenly depositing the same on said table. U

12. In apparatus of the class described',the 

